Dry-mop dust collector



May 24, 1927. 1,629,590

I. L. SMITH DRY MOP DUST COLLECTOR Filed April 23, 1925 fave/2Z0]:

Patented May 24, 1927.

IDA L. SMITH, OF PORTLAND, MAINE.

DRY-MOP DUST COLLECTOR.

Application filed April 28, 1925. Serial No. 25,402.

My invention relates to a device for cleaning dust from dry mops. Usually such dry mops when they become loaded with dust are shaken from the open window or at some point outside of the house and the result is, much objection on the part of those people on whom the dust falls.

My invention consists of a receptacle having a cover with central opening large enough to permit a mop to pass through, a hinged lid closing this opening except for a small portion through which the mop handle passes, a grille composed of a series of wires spaced apart and held some distance above the bottom so that by rubbing the mop across the wires a large part ofthe dust will be loosened and freed from the mop.

The grille is preferably supported on the lower end of a shell secured to the edge of the central opening of the cover. Between this shell and the wall of the receptacle is an annular dead air space into which fine dust particles may float without again coming into contact with the mop during the latters removal. The shell is made elliptical in cross section, with its shorter dimension only slightly greater than the diameter of the compact portion of the mop, and the grille wires are extended across and beyond the bottom of shell and curved upward and back into contact with its outer wall. lVhen the mop is placed in the receptacle and drawn across the wires it spreads so that the outer portions of its strings extend beyond the edge of the shell into the space defined by the curved ends of the grille wires. Accordingly the dust that is loosened from the mop can fall directly to the bottom it heavy and, if light enou h to float, can pass into the annular space etween the shell and receptacle wall. In either event the dust thus freed from the mop is entrapped within the receptacle and the mop can be removed through the comparatively clean hollow of the shell without withdrawing with it an of the dust which has been thus entrapped.

I'have illustrated my invention by means of the accompanying drawing in which Fig. 1, is a perspective view of my de vice before the dry mop is inserted,

Fig. 2, is a plan of the same,

Fig. 3, is a central vertical section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1 but withthe dry mop in place ready to be-rubbed along the grille.

Fig. 4, is a perspective view of a portion shell with My device has the general shape of an elliptical receptacle 1, somewhat wider in one direction than in the other and having a cover 2 fitting over the top.

Hinged to the top of the cover 2 by hinges A, is a lid 3 which may be opened and closed by reason of the hinges.

The lid 3 has a central opening 3" through which to pass.

The dry mop head 6 which is connected with the lower end of the handle is designed to rest normally on the grille generally indicated by '7.

WVithin the outer shell 1 is placed an inner shell 1 of considerably less length than the outer shell 1.

The inner shell 1 is of the same general shape as the outer shell 1, being elliptical so that a space 11 will be left between the two.

The lower end of the inner shell 1 is expanded somewhat at 1 and passing around the body of the inner shell 1 is a wire 75 which extends through a series of eyes 75, at the ends of the cross wires 7. These cross wires are somewhat bent downward as they cross the shell and upon them the mop head 6 normally rests.

The depth of shell 1 is such as to bring the cross wires 7 some little distance above the bottom of the cam 1.

In operating the device the, lid is opened, the handle passed through the opening 3", the lid is then closed and the mop is cleaned by drawing it laterally one way or the other across the cross-wires 7.

The dust which held in the mop 6 will. fall down through the wires 7 into the bottomof the can and may also floatupward through the curved-over portions of the wires into the annular space between the shell and receptacle.

In cleaning the mop it may be drawn laterally across the wires as described or it can be moved up and down on top of the wires.

The space 11 being closed on the sides and on top and communicating only at its lower the mop handle 5 is adapted end with the space between the bottom of the inner shell and the bottom of the outer can will hold the dust so that none of it will escape from the ,device.

In Figure 6 a different method of holding the grille is shown wherein the flared bottom edge of the shell 1 is serrated to provide notches 12 which are arranged to receive the wires 7 to prevent them swinging as the mop drawn across them. This provision is noi; necessary if the eyes 7 5 of the Wires are formed tightly against the wire 75 because such tight engagement will prevent the wires 7 from swinging.

I claim 1. A dry mop dust collector comprising,

in combination, a receptacle adapted to re ceive a dry mop and having a cover with central opening and a removable lid therefor; a shell depending inside the receptacle from the edge of said opening forming an annular dead air space between the shell and the receptacle wall; a grille supported at the lower end of said shell, and spaced above the receptacle bottom; said grille having wires extending across and beyond the bottom of the shell and being bent upward and back toward the shell edge whereby upon the mop head being drawn across said wires floating dust can escape into the said annular space. 1

2. A dry mop dust collector comprising, in

combination, a receptacle adapted to receive a dry mop and having a cover with central opening; a shell extending downward inside the receptacle from the edge of said opening forming an annular dead air space; a grille, supported by said shell above the bottom of the receptacle and below said shell, and composed of wires extending beyond the sides of said shell under the said annular space whereby the mop head may spread so that its strings come under the said annular space to permit light floating dust to rise therein and be entrapped from contact with the mop during its withdrawal from the receptacle.-

3. A dry mop dust collector comprising, in combination, a receptacle adapted to receive a dry mop; a shell depending inside the receptacle having connection with the upper part of the receptacle and forming a dead air space'between the shell and the receptacle with its opening downward; and a grille in said receptacle extending from under the bottom of the shell sidewise under the opening to the dead air space; the whole being arranged and organized for the mop to be passed through the shell and drawn along said grille with a portion of the mop spread out under the dead air space, whereby dust floating upward from the mop may be entrapped therein and kept fromcontact with the mop during withdrawal.

- IDA L. SMITH. 

